


Choose

by Badwolf36



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Married Couple, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:26:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24532255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badwolf36/pseuds/Badwolf36
Summary: It wasn’t the look that stopped Jim’s heart in his throat. No, it was what Bones was looking at: the titanium ring suspended at the bottom of the sturdy white gold chain strung between his hands.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66





	Choose

**Author's Note:**

> The archive cleanup continues. This one is just an odd moment frozen in time, a one-shot with not a ton of context. That said, I hope you enjoy!

“You home, Bones?” Jim asked as he tossed his bag in the corner of the entryway, eyeing the small end table with its ever-growing stack of junk mail and knickknacks that never seemed to migrate to their proper places.

Ignoring it for now (which was part of the problem), Jim walked further into the house, noting the open blinds in the living room. Bones was home then, even if he wasn’t responding.

“Bones?”

Stepping into the living room, Jim found his wayward partner. Bones’ coat had been abandoned over the back of the beat-up leather armchair they’d rescued during their Academy days and then refused to get rid of, even when they could afford better.

The man himself was on the similarly rescued ottoman, cuffs of his shirt undone but solid black tie still knotted in place.

He had an intense look of contemplation on his face and something like sorrow in his eyes. Jim had only seen that look on Bones’ face once since he’d known him. That was the day three weeks after David McCoy’s death; the day the information on the cure to pyrrhoneuritis had arrived at Leonard’s office.

But it wasn’t the look that stopped Jim’s heart in his throat. No, it was what Bones was looking _at_ : the titanium ring suspended at the bottom of the sturdy white gold chain strung between his hands.

Jim had always prided himself on never forcing Bones to make a choice that was just for Jim’s benefit. When the _Enterprise_ had shipped out, he had asked Bones to be his CMO, but also let him know about the planetside positions he was being offered. When Bones had had to choose between staying with the ship or taking a lengthy leave of absence to care for Joanna after the Cerberus crop failure, Jim had offered his support. When Jim had asked Bones to marry him, he’d given him time to think about it when Bones asked for it.

So Jim waited with his breath trapped in his lungs as Bones mulled over whatever it was that had him gazing at his wedding band like all the sorrows in the world might disappear if he simply tossed it away.

Jim waited and didn’t ask, didn’t beg, didn’t plead, even if he wanted nothing more than to do those things.

He waited and then Bones huffed out a short breath. He huffed out that breath and then looked up at Jim, those fathomless green-speckled eyes peering right into him. And without ever looking away from Jim, Leonard lifted the chain up and over his head. He slipped the ring under his shirt, patted the outline of it where it rested against his sternum, then reached out his hand to Jim.

Jim took it without a sound and let himself be pulled into a warm embrace. He didn’t bother to question his motives when he pressed further into Bones’ chest to feel the metal concealed there.

And while Jim took pride in himself for not pushing Bones’ decision by begging him to stay, at the same time he was so, so glad Bones had chosen him without him ever having to say a word. 


End file.
